Gas making apparatus



Sept. 27, 1938- M. M. BRANDEGEE ET AL GAS MAK I NG APPARATUS Original Fil-ed Dec. 16, 1935 m m 4 4 Z w a 7 a I \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\f\ M in "m/ i Hnun u u unfl n u l hhh Patented Sept. 27, 1938 UNITED sures PATENT OFFICE GAS MAKING APPARATUS Morris M. Brandegee,

Hemminger, WestfleldJi'. 5., bastion Utilities Corporation,

Pllinfleld, and Charles E.

assignors to Gom- NewYork, N. Y.,

Divided and this application April 3. 1937, Serial No. 134,720

50mins.

This invention relates to the manufacture of combustible gas and more particularly concerns an improved apparatus for generating gas having a wide range of calorific value and specific gravity for use in industrial and domestic, heating. The present invention was originally described in our co-pending patent application Serial #54304,

cycles on which such small water gas sets may be.

operated as oil gas generators without the use of expensive automatic controls by operators of average skill and ability. Another object is to provide a plan whereby such small water gas sets may be converted for operation with oil as the sole source of fuel for use both in heating up the set and in generating carbureted water gas. Another object of the invention is to provide process steps and apparatus elements whereby such small water gas sets may be operated efficiently on an intermittent cycle employing a relatively shorter heating period in relation to the gas making period than is usually used.

A feature of the invention resides in the use in the carbureter of a water gas set of a carbon filtering screen of small uniformly sized ceramic brick in place oi the usual checker brick, and in the employment of the screen as the principal high temperature oil cracking and gas generating zone of the apparatus during the gas making periods. Another important feature of the invention consists in a novel design of combined oil spray and forced draft oil burner unit which is mounted above the ceramic screen in substantially the vertical axis thereof; the design of such unit and the relative positioning of its parts being such as to insure uniform heating of all sections of the ceramic screen and uniform spraying of oil thereover during the gas making period.

With the above and other objects and features in view, the invention consists in the improved apparatus for making carbureted water gas which is hereinafter described and more particularly defined in the accompanying claims.

In the drawing forming a part hereof a preferred form of the apparatus is illustrated in which:

' s. Fig. l is a somewhat diagrammatic view in verlOl. 48-74) tlcal section of a three-shell water gas set which has been modified to include ceramic screens,

combined forced draft oil burner and oil spray units, and connections whereby the set may be operated in accordance with several different operating cycles.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view, partly in elevation and partly in vertical section, of the upper portion of a gas generator equipped with a combined forced draft oil burner and'oil spray unit which forms one of the principal apparatus elements of the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a somewhat diagrammatic plan view of the top of the gas generator (with parts broken away) showing how primary air is admitted at a controlled rate tangentially to the oil burner at the top of the generator.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawing, numeral Ill designates a gas generator which is connected at its top through conduit 12 with a carbureter i4. The carbureter is connected atits base through conduit it with a superheater It. A conduit 20 controlled by a hot valve 22 connects the base of generator ill with the base of carbureter I4. Another conduit 24 controlled by a hot valve 26 con- 35 nects the base of the generator with conduit l2 and the top of carbureter l4. A hot valve 28 is mounted in conduit H at a point between generator HI and the junction of conduit 24 with conduit l2. Another conduit 30 equipped with a valve 82 leads off from the upper part of superheater ill to a wash box 34, and a gas offtake line is ported out from the wash box. The top of superheater it has a hinged stack valve 38 opening into the base of a stack 40. Another conduit 42 controlled 35 by a hot valve 43 connects the base of the generator directly to the wash box 34.

Generator I0 is provided at a. point above the level of conduits 20 and 42 with a refractory checker brick arch 44 upon which is supported a bed of ceramic material which may be three to five feet in depth and which may consist partially of checker brick 46 and partially of uniformly sized small ceramic bricks or balls 48. The carbureter I4 is also provided near its base with a refractory checker brick arch 50 upon which is supported a carbon filtering and cracking screen composed partly of checker brick 52 and partly of a bed of small substantially uniformly sized ceramic bricks or balls 54. The depth of the 50 screen 54 is preferably in the neighborhood of two to three feet. this depth varying somewhat depending upon the character of gas which is to be produced by the plan of operation. Since temperatures as high as 2000 Frmay be developed 56 on the surfaces of the refractory in the generator and carburetor screens 46, 48, 52 and 54, these screens are preferably composed of "Mullite" or similar high alumina ceramic material adapted to withstand spalling due to the alternate heating and cooling. The individual ceramic bricks or balls which make up the screens 48 and 54 are preferably sized so that their maximum linear dimensions or diameter lies in the range two to three inches,

base of the generator I0 is provided with a valved primary air inlet 56 adjacent which there is also mounted an oil burner 58. A specially designed combination forced drai't oil burner and oil spray B0 is shown as mounted at the top and in the vertical axis of the carburetor ll. Air for operating the oil burner element of the unit 80 enters the unit tangentially from a valved air connection 6!. A similar combined oil spray and oil burner unit 64 is shown as mounted at the top of generator It in the vertlcg: axis thereof and as receiving air for its operation from a valved air supply conduit 88. A valved air supp y line 58 opens into the top 0! the superheater l8, and valved steam supply lines Ill and 12 open respectively into the base oi the generator and into the top of the superheater.

As illustrated particularly in Figs. 2 and 3. the combined oil burner and oil spray units 60 and GI which are shown in Fig. 1 as mounted vertically at the top of the generator and carburetor units, comprise an outer cylindrical shell or T 14 having a special tangential side inlet ii for air from one of the valved air supply pipes 62 and 8!. The velocity at which air enters the T H through opening 16 is controlled by means of a butterfly damper 18. The bottom outlet of 1'' II is bolted to the usual top carburetor nozzle and/or to the fuel charging inlet at the top of the gas generator element of a standard set. Axially mounted within the T H and supported by a flange closure I9 tor the top of the T, is a steam atomizing oil burner 80 to which oil is supplied by a valved oil pipe 82, and steam by a valved steam connection 84. type oil spray 88 is suspended concentrically around and closely adjacent to the burner 80, the carbureting oil being conducted to the spray through a valved oil supply connection 88.

The combined burner and oil spray is kept cool by purging the burner with steam during periods of gas make, and by clrculation'of cooling water through a water cooling chamber 90 concentrically mounted around the oil spray and oil burner and within the T 14. Additional cooling of the burner and oil spray is provided by the air which is admitted to the annular air supply chamber 92 which surrounds the oil spray within the T ll, during periods when burner 80 is operating. Cooling water is supplied to chamber Gil through a pipe 84 and is moved therefrom through a pipe 96.

The damper 18 in the air supply conduit aflords the means for controlling the velocity at which the air enters the annular chamber 92, and consequently the degree of turbulence with which the air whirls about the nozzle of oil burner lll as the air enters the gas generating chamber at the top of generator ill and/or carbureter II. By adjustment of the damper Ill, flames may be secured at the nozzle of burner 80 which vary from short sharp balls of fire immediately adjacent the nozzle to a long diilused semi-radiant flame projecting downwardly to the top of the underlying refractory screen. Since the oil bur- A multi-nozzle rosettener 80 is mounted coaxlally within the air supply conduit 92, an efllclent smokeless flame is insured as air is supplied uniformly to the'oil issuing from each jet of the burner so. By the arrangement illustrated in Fig. 2, it will be seen that the oil burner 80 may be removed through the central aperture in flange Ill for cleaning without disturbing the other elements of the units 60 and 64; the burner being provided with a stufllng gland 98 for the purpose of preventing the escape of gas under pressure around the burner tube.

-By the concentric arrangement of nozzles Hill of the oil spray 88 about the burner III, the oil for use in generating make gas or in carburetlng make gas is delivered to the generator and/or carbureter in its vertical axis with uniform dispersion and with any degree of atomization and rate 01 supply required, without disturbing thecentral location of the oil burner 80 used in heating 'up the apparatus, and without having to depend on the oil burner itself (equipped for low operating rates and fine atomization) as the means for supplying oil during the make period. A. valved steam supply pipe Hi2 delivers steam ior atomizing oil and for purging to the oil spray 86. Gas operated pilot burners I03 are mounted adjacent ,the nozzles 01' the burner elements 01' units 60 and B4 to insure ignition of the oil burner elements particularly during periods when the apparatus is starting up.

According to one preferred operating cycle which will now be described, some oi the apparatus elements illustrated in Fig. 1 may be omitted, namely the connections 20, 24 and 42 with their hot valves, hot valve 28, the oil burner (but not the spray) element 0! the unit it at the top 0! generator H), as also the small refractory brick portion 48 01' the ceramic screen in the generator. In place of the generator fuel bed a three to live foot depth 01' checker brick is supported on the refractory arch M at a sumcient height above the base of the generator to forma combustion chamber below the arch. For control purposes, thermocouples I are mounted below the screen in the carburetor, and in the superheater. The only operating valves required for this cycle are the stack valve, two air valves, an oil valve, and a steam valve; any other valves, and the steam atomizing valves for the oil burners, being mechanically tied in with other valves.

During the heating cycle the burner 58 at the case of the generator is operated simultaneously with the oil burner element of the unit 60 at the top of the carbureter. Sufficient excess air is admitted to the set through air inlets 56 and B2 to insure combustion of any carbon residue remaining on the refractory l6 and carbureter screen 54 after a preceding gas making cycle. At the end of a heating period the stack valve is closed, the air supply is cut oil at the inlets 58 and 62, and the oil burners 58 and 80 are also shut oil. Steam is then turned into the base of the generator through inlet ill, and the oil sprays at the top of generator l0 and at the top of carbureter M are turned on, make gas passing from the generator in series through the carbureter and screen 64 and, thence through the superheater to the wash box and out to storage through oiltake 36. At the end of the make run the oil supply to the generator and carburetor is out off, and the set is purged of oil gas and vapor by continuing for a brief period the supply of steam to the base of the generator through steam t 1 the stack and starting primary inlet It. After the steam purge the cycle is reposted by cutting of! the stea@ pply. opening 7 7 burner 58 'and its air supply," allowed by the second burner and air supply located at the top of the carbureter.

when operating on a cycle such as that just described, the calorific value of the make gas produced is regulated largely by the temperatures which are maintained at the bottom of the carbureter and in the superheater. These temperatures are controlled by regulating the supply of oil and air to the burners and to. If it is desired to produce an 800 B. t. u. make gas, the temperatures in the bottom of the carbureter and superheater should be maintained in the range l6501i'. to 1750' F; For making a 1060 B. t. u. gas, the allowable temperature range for the base or the carbureter and the superheater is between 1500' F. and 1650 F... The oil which is introduced to generator'lo' is vaporized and-partially cracked in an atmosphere oi steam which has been preheated by passage through the generator checker brick 48. The oil vapors and any oil gas produced in the generator pass therethrough into the top oi the carbureter where it'forms an atmosphere within which the oil introduced to the carbureter through the carbureter spray is cracked as it passes through the open spaces at the top of the carbureter, through the ceramic carbureter screen Bl, and through the checker brick of the superheater. While operating on this cycle, the checker brick 46 in the generator is only slightly cooled by the small quantities of 1 steam which are passed therethrough during the gas making run, and accordingly this checker brick is maintained at a suiiicient temperature as an igniting surface for the primary air and atomized oil introduced beneath the generator arch ll during the heating-up period. Any carbon residue on the generator screen and on the carbureter screen is consumed by reaction with excess air introduced into thc'apparatus during the blowing-up period.

Another modified cycle employs a slightly different apparatus set-up than that required for the cycle just previously described, in which the checker brick 48 of the generator is changed so as to include a middle section of small sized broken ceramic bricks or balls 48, thereby resulting in a generator of the type illustrated having a screen corresponding to the carbureter screen. For this cycle the cross connection 20 between the base of the generator and the base of the carbureter is also required, as is also the complete forced draft oil burner and oil spray unit 84 which is illustrated at the top of the generator in Fig. i of the drawings. When operating in accordance with this cycle hot valve 28 is closed, or else a blank flange is introduced at the location of the hot valve in conduit ii.

The heating period according to this second process cycle, starts with down heating of the generator and the carbureter by simultaneous op- .eration of the forced draft oil burner elements of units 8i and it. The products of combustion pass downwardly through the ceramic screens in the generator and carbureter in parallel, and are then passed from the base of the generator and the base of the carbureter into and upwardly through the superheater checker brick. and out of the stack. On completion of the heating period, the air and oil supplies to the burners at the top of the generator and carbureter are cut oil and the stack valve II is closed, after which steam is admitted to the tops of both the generator and the carbureter, with simultaneous admission 0! oil through the oil spray elements of units ll and it. The mixture of. oil and steam in passing through the generator and carbureter screens is converted into a mixture of oil gas and water gas by cracking of the oil and reaction of carbon produced on crackin and the make gas is then conducted through the checker brick of the superheater and thence through the wash box and ofltake It to storage. The make cycle is iollowed by a down steam purge during which steam alone is introduced to both the carbureter and generator through the oil spray and burner parts of units Oil and 84. This results in a down steam purge of both the generator and the carbureter, with removal of the water gas produced on the purge through the wash box and ofltake 38 to storage The steam is then cut oi! and the heating cycle repeated. The make cycles under this plan of operation have to be short in order that the temperatures in the generator and carbureter do not drop below a point at which there would be no ignition of the atomized oil introduced through the oil burners during the heating-up period. This second cycle has the advantage of considerably increasing the gas making capacity of the set by operation of both the generator and the carbureter in parallel as twin screen generator units. The principal disadvantage over the cycle first described is the slightly lower heat utilization emciency and the more complicated apparatus requirements. According to either of the operating cycles just described, the steam requirements are relatively low and the gas produced accordingly has desirable characteristics, having a relatively high methane content and lower hydrogen and carbon monoxide content and lower gravity, then the usual type of mixed oil -gas and water gas.

According to a third plan of operation. that cycle would be substantially the same as that just described except that the apparatus would include connection 2! between the base or the generator and the top of the carbureter, and would omit the connection 20 between the base of the generator and the base of the carbureter. The operating cycle would then be the same except that the blow gas and make gas produced in the generator would flow in series through the car bureter and carbureter screen rather than in parallel with gases produced in the carbureter.

According to a fourth plan of operation, a relatively low B. t. u. gas of say 550 B. t. u. and .68 gravity can be made from low gravity Bunker C fuel oil by first producting an oil gas of approximately 750 B. t. u. and then diluting with a mixture of blow run gas and blue gas. Part of the heat for the set can then be obtained by combustion (during the heating cycle) of carbon resulting from the cracking of the high gravity high carbon oil used during the make cycle. According to this fourth plan of operation, a hot valve or backrun set may be employed having an oil spray in the top of the generator, but without requiring the forced draft oil burner element of the unit it illustrated. Shallow screens of small sized refractory 48, N, are preferably employed both in the generator and in the carbureter. During the make period, all the oil required to produce make gas is sprayed into the top of the generator where it is vaporized by the radiant heat stored in the generator during the heating-up or blow period. The oil is vaporiaed in an atmosphere of steam which is introduced,

to base of the generator throughout the make period. The steam reacts with any carbon deposited on the refractory screen of the generator to form water gas. Heating up of the generator and carbureter between make periods is effected by means of the oil burner at the base of the generator, supplemented by combustion of carbon deposit on the refractory screens with excess air.

In a hot valve set the cycle begins with the stack valve 38 open and with supply of primary air to the base of the generator and secondary air to the top of the carbureter. The heat ing-up period is suspended when 'the thermocouple gt, the base of the carburetor reaches a readinfilf 1600" to 1700 F. The stack valve and the; primary and secondary air supplies are then turned on and steam is introduced to the base of the generator, and heavy oil is simultaneously sprayed into the top of the generator. The mixture of steam and oil vapors passes from the top of the generator into the top of the carbureter and thence downwardly through the refractory screen in the carburetor and upwardly through the checker brick in the superheater into the wash box. Cracking of the oil takes place largely in the zone oi the carbureter screen. At the end of the oil run the oil supply is cut off and the apparatus is purged by continuing the supply of steam through the steam supply pipe 10. Before opening the stack for the next heating cycle a short blow purge is carried out by closing the steam supply at 10 and opening the air supply 56 for a brief period during which air blast gases are carried through the set to the wash box and are then conducted to the holder.

A fifth operating cycle may be carried out in the set illustrated. in which the principal change in operation is that which makes use of the back run connection 42 directly from the base of the generator to the wash box. The heating and make cycles are similar to those just described for the fourth plan of operation, but during the steam pure cycle steam is introduced through connection 12 to the super-heater. Gas produced during a reverse steam pure is conducted directly from the base of the generator to the wash box. A reverse air purge follows the reversesteam purge during which air is introduced to the superheater through the connection 68 and the reverse blow gases g're conducted directly from the base of the generator to the wash box, and thence to storage. The next heating-up operation is started after closing the air valve in the top of the superheater and opening the stack valve, and after closing the valve in connection 42.

Having thus described the invention, what we claim as new is: a

1. In gas generating apparatus, the combination of an upright refractory lined shell having an arched roof, a bed of small uniformly sized ceramic bricks supported within the said shell on a refractory arch and having sufficient depth to form a carbon filtering screen for gases passed vertically through the shell, a combined oil spray and forced draft oil burner mounted in the roof of the shell in thevertical axis thereof, the oil burner and oil spray being mounted in concentric relation, and an air supply duct disposed concentrically with respect to the oil burner and having a tangential air inlet provided with a damper by which to control the peripheral velocity of air flow in the duct around the oil burner nozzle.

2. In gas generating apparatus, a water gas set including a single generator, a single carbureter, a single superheater and a wash box, open conduits communicably connecting the base and top of the superheater respectively with the base of the carbureter and with the wash box, valved conduits communicably connecting the base and top of the carbureter respectively with the base and top of the gas generator, an oil burner disposed at the base of the generator, carbon fllter ing beds of ceramic bricks supported in the vertical mid-portions of both the generator and carbureter, and a pair of combined oil spray and forced draft oil burner units mounted respectively at the top and in the vertical axes of the carbureter and generator, each of said units having their burner and spray elements mounted in coaxial relation concentrically within an air supply duct, and an air supply inlet ported out tangentially into, said duct and having a butterfly damper whereby to control the peripheral velocity of air flow in the duct around the oil burner nozzle.

3. In gas generating apparatus, a water gas set including a single generator, 8. single carbureter, a single superheater and a wash box, open conduits communicably connecting the base and top of the superheater, respectively, with the base of the carbureter and with the wash box, valved conduits communicably connecting the base andv top of the gas generator with the top of the carbureter, and a combined oil spray and forced draft oil burner unit mounted at the top and in the vertical axis of the carbureter, said unit having its burner element mounted concentrically within the oil spray element and having both the burner and spray elements mounted in coaxial relation concentrically within an air supply duct,.and an air supply inlet ported out tangentially into said duct and having a butterfly damper whereby to control the peripheral velocity of air flow in the duct around the oil burner nozzle.

4. In gas generating apparatus. a water gas set including a single generator, 9. single carbureter. a single superheater and awash box, open conduits communicably connecting the base and top of the superheater, respectively, with the base of the carbureter and with the wash box, valved conduits communicably connecting the base and top of the gas generator with the top of the carbureter, and a combined oil spray and forced draft oil burner unit mounted at the top and in the vertical axis or the carbureter, said unit having its burner element mounted concentrically within the oil spray elements and having both the burner and spray element mounted in coaxial relation concentrically within an air supply duct, a water cooling chamber for the burner and oil spray, the water coolingchamber being mounted concentrically within the air duct, separate valved oil and steam supplying pipes for the oil burner and for the oil spray, and an air supply inlet ported out tangentially into said duct and having a damper by which to control the peripheral velocity of air flow in the duct around the oil burner nozzle.

5. In gas generating apparatus, the combination of an upright refractory lined gas generating shell, a bed of small randomly placed ceramic bricks uniformly sized within maximum linear dimensions of two to three inches supported transversely within the generator on a refractory arch and having a depth of one to three feet to form a carbon filtering screen for gases passed vertically through the shell, another refractory lined shell having a like filling of small ceramic in coaxial relation concentrically within an air supply duct, and an air supply inlet ported out tangentially into said duct and having a butteri'iy damper whereby to control the peripheral velocity of air flow in the duct around the air burner noale.

MORRIS M. BRANDEGEE. CHARLES E. GER.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 2,151,696.

September 27, 1958.

MORRIS H. BRANDEGEE, ET AL.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 2, first column, line 61, for "moved" read removed; page i first column, lines l b, and 1 .6, for the word "pure" read purge; same page, second column, line 51 for 'elements" read element; and line 55, for "element" read elements; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the ease in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 25th'day of October, A. D. 1958.

Henry Van Aredale (Seal) Acting Gonmissioner of Patents.

in coaxial relation concentrically within an air supply duct, and an air supply inlet ported out tangentially into said duct and having a butteri'iy damper whereby to control the peripheral velocity of air flow in the duct around the air burner noale.

MORRIS M. BRANDEGEE. CHARLES E. GER.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 2,151,696.

September 27, 1958.

MORRIS H. BRANDEGEE, ET AL.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 2, first column, line 61, for "moved" read removed; page i first column, lines l b, and 1 .6, for the word "pure" read purge; same page, second column, line 51 for 'elements" read element; and line 55, for "element" read elements; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the ease in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 25th'day of October, A. D. 1958.

Henry Van Aredale (Seal) Acting Gonmissioner of Patents. 

